1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the joining of mating light-transmitting optical fibers and more particularly, to connecting apparatus for optical fibers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Light-transmitting optical fibers, while desirable for their bandwidth capability, are difficult to handle because they are exceedingly small and fragile. Also, if low-loss joints are to be achieved, mating optical fibers must be precisely aligned axially.
To protect the fibers and to simplify and speed up the connecting process of optical fibers, optical fibers have been grouped and packaged in fiber termination structures where each fiber assumes a known and precise position in the structure in relation to precise-aligning outer surfaces. Also, the ends of the fibers are typically terminated in a common plane with an end surface of the structure substantially normal to their longitudinal axes to form a mating end face for the structure. Hence, when two fiber termination structures are aligned via their precise-aligning outer surfaces and abutted in an end-to-end relationship with each other, mating fibers in the structures are joined as well.
One such fiber termination structure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,864,018, issued to Miller and assigned to the assignee of this application. The fiber termination structure disclosed in Miller is designed to terminate one or more linear arrays of fibers with multigrooved aligning chips which can be stacked with the arrays of fibers to form an orderly group of fibers for mass splicing.
In order to implement such fiber termination structures in a practical optical communication system, there is need to develop connecting apparatus incorporating these structures.
Desirably, the connecting apparatus can easily be assembled in the outside plant, as well as in the central office. Also, desirably, the connecting apparatus can achieve a repeatable high level of optical coupling between the mating optical fibers in the fiber termination structures.
It is also desired that the connecting apparatus require a minimum of dexterity on the part of the craftsperson and a minimum of steps in completing a connection.
Finally, it is desired that the connecting apparatus be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and be made with a minimum of precision parts.